A Bit of Luck after a Loss....

The loss was the unexpected demise of my Prostanthera cuneata. I planted this pretty little evergreen shrub when the back garden had a complete make-over, so it’s been there, flowering happily, for three years.

I was more than a bit fed up yesterday to find it as dead as a dodo – with no obvious reason -

So this afternoon, off I went to the Nursery where I got it from, and bought a new one. I looked round…as you do…and fell for this beautiful Correa pulchella – well, I know it’s not very hardy, but the other Correa I have came through the winter, so fingers crossed for this one!

I had had a quick browse through their catalogue before I went, and knew that they stocked one of the plants on my wish-list – a variegated Fragaria. Yes, there they were – a bit buried by a rampant Felicia next to them!

Then the lucky bit kicked in. I found a plant that had runners – and when I brought it home, imagine my pleasure in counting no less than SIX plantlets!

Fragaria x ananassa ‘Variegata’

So I got some pots of compost, and planted the one that had roots, leaving it attached to the parent plant.

The others have no roots – yet!

However, I’ve pinned them down into the compost.

I used a piece of thin wire, and bent it over to keep the plantlets in contact with the compost.

Well – if they all root, I shall have seven plants for the price of one!

And what about the dead Prostanthera? Well, when I dug it out to plant the new one, I found out why it had popped off.

Yes, the plant roots are still pot-shaped! My fault, of course – I should have teased out the roots!

Comments

Prostantherea...is that the mint bush? mine has not been growing very much...perhaps I should have a look at its roots......Your fragaria sounds nice......ahem....are you looking for good homes for the extra plants????

There you go Spritz- things happen for a reason,if you hadn't lost one plant you wouldn't have gained 7 (lucky for some) new ones lol. I don't like to tease roots out too much I usually snap a few off !!

Yes - white! Only because I looked it up when I put it on my wish-list. I haven't ever seen the flowers 'for real'. I thought it would 'shine' out of a shady area, with the white markings and white flowers.

didnt think to plant runners like this barbara, i just snip them off the plant, not this plant, and pop in a saucer of water and rooted in no time, so dont know if that would work for your, if you find you have to many , im willing to adopt :o)) lol

What a bargain you got there....silver linings and all that!
I've seen them on TV being quite robust about teasing out roots rather than just tickling them round the edges. Is this the best way? Presumably it doesn't matter if some break off?

Hywel - what happened to your P. cuneata? When I went to buy my new one, I knew they stocked the P. rotundifolia, as well, so I checked in my RHS book and also asked the Nurseryman...both confirmed that yours is more tender! You've done well to keep it.

Barbara, They dug their fingers into the underneath and pulled the rootball out all the way round, rather roughly I thought but I can't remember who it was, think it must have been on GW. I usually just gently tease with a daisy grubber but I too would be interested in what others do. Sometimes things don't seem to recover from being rootbound (like yours) so maybe the 'robust' method is best?

My P. rotundifolia was out in all the snow we had last winter and I always leave it out , although I do put it by a wall for some shelter. I've always thought of it as being quite tough.. lol

My P. cuneata was in one of my plastic plant-growing houses and it was by a sheltered wall of my garage. It was also covered with several sheets of newspaper and some fleece. It survived until about May although it looked very weak, and then suddenly shrivveled up and died. :o(( I don't know why .

My P. cuneata's death was sudden, too. However, I think the state of the rootball explains that. I'm amazed that your P. rotundifolia has proved to be so hardy, Hywel!
It only gets one star in my RHS book, as against two for the other one! I checked them both on the net, as well!

I can't remember how low the temp went here last winter but it was much lower than usual. Must have been down to about - 8 or - 9 on several nights. I had the P.rotundifolia outside my conservatory door. It was covered in snow for days. I have a photo of it. If you go to my photo page and click on the tag for Prostanthera you can see it through the window covered in snow.

I think it must have had some protection from the wall but it was outside in all the snow and I do believe the soil froze in the pot aswell. I sometimes put it in the garage but even then it gets very cold.

If you do have one make sure it gets plenty of protection just incase.

Thanks for the blog Spritz like your choice of the Correa pulchella. Trust you to look for and get a bargain. Well done.
As for the Pink Panda that you so kindly sent me. It is in flower at the moment but no runners yet.

barbara, i have just been weeding etc and one of my azalia`s i got this year is the same as your plant above and its roots are dying, pot shaped, the plant is still alive is there anything i can do to save it, ive popped it back in the ground till i get addvice, hoping you can help :o))

Yes - I followed Bulbaholic's advice on a question I posted on pot-bound plants.

1. Dig it up and soak the roots in a bucket of water.
2. Get a sharp thing like a daisy-grubber and tear at the rootball to tease it out - don't worry if a few pieces fall off!
3. Swish it round in the bucket of water.
4. Repeat 2/3
5. Wash the roots under the tap or hose.
6. Replant in a big hole with plenty of good compost (ericaceous for an Azalea)
7. Water it in.

I did my plant - the roots were pretty loose after all that, but it has much more chance of growing, now.

Teasing out the roots may be good on smaller plants, but I take a knife or secateurs and cut up 4 sides of root bound plants, and sometimes snip off the bottom roots if need be. Cutting rather than ripping seems to promote more new root growth. Drenching with a transplant fertilizer after putting in the ground also helps new rootlets take off. Good luck: so pretty.

I don't want to show my ignorance, but I do want to learn. So can you tell me what is a daisy grubber. Sorry about your plant but after a while when you have got your other new plants rooted you will have had the better deal.
Bye for now Franf

Root stimulator, Spritz? Probably has more phosphorus, enzymes, hormones etc to reduce transplant shock & get roots going. Have no idea what's available in UK but there's probably something similar. As I recall, use diluted w/ water.

i have 3 Alpine Mints in my garden planted this year. I can't believe that a plant can survive for 3 years and not send out any new roots to the surrounding soil. I could understand a fatality after one season, but 3?!
I think I will need to dig mine up in the warmer months and check to see if the root ball is compact. i don't recall it being like that when I planted it, but i put so much stuff in this year my head is spinning!!
I am going to try some Correa next year. I am working full time now and I need someone to look after my garden!